Rural Hybrid Energy Enterprise Systems

Completed

Renewable Energy Sources(Solar Energy, Solar heating and cooling (including daylighting))
Renewable Energy Sources(Solar Energy, Photovoltaics)
Renewable Energy Sources(Wind Energy)
Renewable Energy Sources(Bio-Energy, Production of transport biofuels (incl. Production from wastes))
Renewable Energy Sources(Bio-Energy, Production of other biomass-derived fuels (incl. Production from wastes))
Hydrogen and Fuel Cells(Fuel Cells, Stationary applications)
Hydrogen and Fuel Cells(Fuel Cells, Mobile applications)

Basic and strategic applied research

SOCIAL SCIENCES (Economics and Econometrics)
SOCIAL SCIENCES (Business and Management Studies)
SOCIAL SCIENCES (Sociology)
SOCIAL SCIENCES (Development Studies)
SOCIAL SCIENCES (Education)
AREA STUDIES (Asian Studies)
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Electrical and Electronic Engineering)
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering)
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Architecture and the Built Environment)
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES (Geography and Environmental Studies)

Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Environmental dimensions)
Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Consumer attitudes and behaviour)
Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Technology acceptance)
Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Other sociological economical and environmental impact of energy)
Other (Energy technology information dissemination)

Professor ML Clarke
Geography
University of Nottingham

Standard

EPSRC

01 January 2012

31 July 2016

55 months

£2,690,768

Energy

East Midlands

Digital Economy

Professor ML Clarke, Geography, University of Nottingham

Professor C Atkin, Centre for Educational Development and Research (CEDaR), Bishop Grosseteste University College
Dr W J Bignold, Faculty of Education, Liverpool Hope University
Dr R Blanchard, Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Loughborough University
Dr W Bujalski, Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham
Dr MJ Clifford, Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Nottingham
Dr A Comber, Geography, University of Leicester
Dr A Dhir, Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham
Dr T Drage, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Nottingham
Dr CH Jarvis, Geography, University of Leicester
Dr S Jewitt, Geography, University of Nottingham
Dr H Liu, Architecture and Built Environment, University of Nottingham
Dr MP Phillips, Geography, University of Leicester
Dr S Raman, Sociology and Social Policy, University of Nottingham
Dr S.J. Ramsden, Biosciences, University of Nottingham
Professor C Snape, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Nottingham
Dr KJ Tansey, Geography, University of Leicester
Dr H West, Biosciences, University of Nottingham
Professor AD Wheatley, Civil and Building Engineering, Loughborough University
Dr J Wood, Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham

About 20% of the UK population and 72% of the Indian population live in rural communities, where access to resources, amenities and services are inherently different to those of urban dwellers. Rural communities in both countries share similar challenges. Limited rural transport makes access to services difficult, time-consuming and expensive which disadvantage the poor, elderly and sick. Access to healthcare and affordable energy (for heating, cooling, cooking, refrigeration, lighting, household, IT use) is limited in rural areas and lack of employment opportunities continues to drive rural to urban migration, especially amongst young people. Universal access to clean and efficient energy sources has long been viewed as critical to global needs and expanding access to good quality, stable, energy options in rural areas is therefore essential. Not only does this help to address the problem of dependence on fossil fuels; it also enables rural areas in the UK and India to benefit from the multiplier effect of energy services on health, education, transport, telecommunications, water, sanitation as well as from investments in and the productivity of income-generating activities in agriculture, industry, and tertiary sectors. In this project we aim to develop community-scale hybrid renewable energy systems to bridge the urban-rural divide and promote a new model of sustainable rural living. Through technological innovations in small-scale energy generation coupled with appropriately tailored rural enterprise business models we will create Rural Hybrid Energy Enterprise Systems (RHEES) which can be adapted for local needs in the UK and India enabling communities to: tackle energy poverty; increase revenue generation to individuals and households; create new opportunities for rural industries; generate employment; decrease transport costs; improve socioeconomic status; and through using renewable energy technologies reduce environmental impact and promote natural resource conservation.Different forms of energy may be crucial for increasing the range, quality and productivity of income-generating activity. In rural areas biomass is one of the most versatile energy-generating options, because of the diversity of feedstocks in rural areas, the range of conversion technologies available and the potential to provide a continuous and steady flow of energy services. We aim to develop innovative, low-carbon, sustainable biomass-fuelled hybrid energy systems that utilise wastes and residues and are designed at a scale suitable for rural community implementation to be affordable and to provide enterprise opportunities through value-added by-products. Through novel research the key technological challenges required for the wide scale deployment of anaerobic digestion and gasification in rural communities combined with fuel cell technology will be met whilst employing close integration with the resource and community aspects of the proposal. By engaging end-users in all stages of the development process, we aim to develop affordable and sustainable growth of our community-scale energy solutions to bridge the urban-rural divide

16/02/12